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Restaurants, as much or more than any other businesses, have suffered greatly during the pandemic. They have been forced to close for indoor dining for months at a time, struggled to find workers and been hit by higher wholesale food prices.

As of March of this year, more than 10% of the nation’s restaurants had been forced to close permanently, unable to limp along any longer, including dozens of restaurants in Chicago.

Now a group of Chicago aldermen are calling for a new restriction on Chicago restaurants — a requirement that anybody who dines indoors must show proof of vaccination — and the restaurant industry is understandably up in arms. Impose that rule, they warn, and watch as many more restaurants close their doors for good, especially as the weather turns colder and outdoor dining becomes less of an option.

Our own view is that proof of vaccination should be mandatory for people who want to participate in almost any indoor public activity. Vaccinated people should be entitled to privileges that are withheld from unvaccinated people.

If we are ever going to beat this pandemic, we must get tougher on the foolishly unvaccinated.

But there also is no question this should be done in a way that, whenever possible, minimizes the harm done to small businesses. And with respect to restaurants, that should mean a generous replenishing of federal pandemic rescue funds — in the form of grants, not loans — to help thousands of independent restaurants stay afloat.

As part of the American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021, a $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund was created to come to the rescue of struggling restaurants.

More than 370,000 restaurant owners applied for the grants — powerful proof that the industry was being hammered — requesting a total of $75 billion. Unfortunately, only about 105,000 businesses ultimately got a piece of the rescue money, with demand dramatically outstripping supply. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund had been emptied out by June 30.

Now Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, is proposing that Congress pour an additional $60 billion into the restaurant rescue fund, new money that can’t come soon enough. We actually believe Congress should do even more — add $90 billion to the fund, as many experts in the restaurant industry have called for — to head off more restaurant closures.

A survey this month by the Independent Restaurant Coalition found that 82% of the nation’s restaurants fear they will close their doors if there is no additional federal rescue funding.

The Illinois Restaurant Association in the past has commended Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her administration for communicating well with local restaurant owners, distributing grants and leading the way to fully reopening restaurants back in June — before any other large American city. But restaurant owners warn that requiring eateries to demand proof of vaccination for indoor dining, a safety measured proposed by eight aldermen in a Sept. 9 letter to Chicago Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, could be devastating.

“We have always been about the health and safety of our team members and customers, but we should think about the small restaurants that can’t turn away a party of five, if two people are not vaccinated,” Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, told the Sun-Times Editorial Board. “Turning them away means they could lose a $150 bill that could have made their night.”

Nobody should take those concerns lightly. We sure don’t.

Among the restaurants that closed permanently this month, in large part because of the pandemic, were the Black-owned barbecue restaurant Lexington Betty Smokehouse, on the Near West Side, the sports bar Wise Owl Drinkery & Cookhouse, in the West Loop, and the vegan sandwich shop Moonlight Vulture, in Avondale.

But we think the best way to help the restaurant industry would be new infusion of federal rescue funds, big and fast. To allow the pandemic to drag on or grow worse, as new variants of the coronavirus emerge, by going soft on public safety measures would, in the long run, only hurt the restaurant industry — and all of us — more.

Send letters to [email protected].

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The Fire have an optics problem, and it has nothing to do with their maligned logo that will be going away soon.

Sunday’s 0-0 tie with Nashville SC in front of a season-high crowd of 15,915 was played on a Soldier Field grass surface with football markings more than visible. A day after Notre Dame beat Wisconsin, the game’s “Shamrock Series” logo was covered over with green spray paint but easily detectable, as were the schools’ colorful end zone designs.

Perhaps of more concern to the players was the condition of the grass field, which has been busy recently. Last Sunday, the Bears beat the Bengals at Soldier Field, Wednesday saw the Fire lose to New England and then the Notre Dame-Wisconsin game was played Saturday. And the field was clearly worse for wear, with divots and pock marks around the entire playing surface.

The Fire, however, are more than a soccer team. They’re a business trying to gain more customers in a crowded sports city. Games like Sunday are reminders they aren’t the primary tenants in their own home, a self-inflicted factor they have to overcome when they market their product.

Late in August, Fire president Ishwara Glassman Chrein addressed the issue when the Fire’s most recent home match was a day after a Bears game. She repeated that the Fire love playing at the stadium because of its amenities and location, and emphasized their relationship with Soldier Field management and the Chicago Park District.

“There’s no doubt it would be better if there weren’t the Bears logos on the stadium and the lines, but we knew that going into the deal,” Glassman Chrein said. “We knew that the Bears were going to be playing there. We all try to work well together.”

NOTE: The Fire honored the Chicago Sting on the 40th anniversary of their 1981 North American Soccer League Soccer Bowl ’81 championship. Fire players wore Sting t-shirts when they arrived at Soldier Field, and coach Raphael Wicky wore one during the match. Members of the Sting were also recognized at halftime and received warm applause from the fans.

“It’s a special day,” 1981 Sting defender Rudy Glenn said. “When you think about it 40 years later, we made history that evening and we’re still around, still thought about, which is pretty amazing. And it’s because of the fans like today. For them to even acknowledge us is just amazing.”

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Calls for the legalization of drugs ignore the science and the facts.

The Sun-Times has published commentaries in the past two weeks promoting the legalization of drugs. There was an essay by Rev. Al Sharp on Sept 5 and a letter from James Gierach on Sept 19. Both writers, in my view, are ignoring the science and the facts.

Legalizing drugs will not eliminate illegal drug sales because the reverse is true. When drugs are legalized, the drug dealers sell more illegal drugs to minors who cannot buy at dispensaries. They also sell at lower prices to adult buyers because no state or local tax is included, and the source of the drug and its contents are not subject to expensive regulation.

The drugs being proposed for legalization are subject to abuse and addiction. With no legal barrier, use will increase and so will addiction. After legalization in Colorado, illegal drug sales increased, highway accidents and fatalities due to drug use increased, treatment admissions went up and homelessness increased.

We have laws that, by their very existence, reduce illegal behavior. It is the legal drugs that are causing the skyrocketing drug overdose deaths. Fentanyl, OxyContin and other opioids are legal medicines but sold and used illegally.

Peter Bensinger
Former Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Former Executive Director, Chicago Crime Commission

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.

Biden and the border

For President Joe Biden to say “it’s horrible what you saw” at the border is like an arsonist bemoaning a fire he has set. Biden created the conditions that led to a huge surge of illegal immigrants, leaving the problem for our front-line border agents to try and address.

Melissa Stevens, Evanston

Bike riders worst traffic offenders

In a recent letter, John Livanich of Oak Lawn applauded Chicago’s decision to add 100 miles of bike lanes while chiding bad drivers, especially those who threaten the safety of bicyclists. “There should be severe consequences for drivers who refuse to put their phones down,” Livanich wrote. “Only then will cyclists be safe.”

This call for harsh punishment for distracted driving would carry more weight if just once, in the 24 years that I’ve lived in Chicago, a bicyclist had ever stopped at a stop sign. I’ve actually seen some stop at red lights, but many just slow down and pedal right through the intersection, endangering everyone but mostly themselves.

James FitzGerald, Edgewater

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Clemson tumbled to No. 25 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, snapping its streak of 97 straight weeks in the top 10.

The Tigers (2-2) lost for the second time this season Saturday — falling in double overtime to North Carolina State — and dropped 16 spots from No. 9 in the AP Top 25, which is presented by Regions Bank.

Clemson’s top-10 streak was tied with Alabama for the longest current run in college football and second-longest in the history of the AP poll, behind Miami’s 137 from 1985-93.

The Crimson Tide remained No. 1 with 58 first-place votes out of 62. No. 2 Georgia received the remaining four first-place votes. Oregon stayed No. 3. Penn State moved up two spots to No. 4, Iowa held at No. 5 and Oklahoma slipped two spots to No. 6.

Cincinnati moved up a spot to No. 7 and Arkansas jumped eight spots to No. 8 after beating Texas A&M. The Razorbacks have their best ranking since they were No. 8 early in the 2012 season.

That season, Arkansas lost its second game of the season to Louisiana-Monroe and was never ranked again. The Razorbacks had finished fifth the season before under Bobby Petrino.

No. 9 Notre Dame and Florida rounded out the top 10.

POLL POINTS

Clemson did manage to extend its streak of weeks ranked to 107, the third-longest active streak behind Alabama (218) and Ohio State (150).

The Buckeyes’ streak does not include polls in which they were ineligible during the 2020 season because the Big Ten was not planning to play due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Alabama’s current streak of poll appearances is second all time to Nebraska’s 348 from 1981-2002.

IN

After six ranked teams lost this weekend, four to unranked opponents, four new teams entered the rankings of the first time this season.

— No. 19 Oklahoma State improved to 4-0 by beating Kansas State. The Cowboys finished last season ranked.

— No. 21 Baylor is 4-0 after upsetting Iowa State at home and is ranked for the first time since the final 2019 poll.

— No. 23 North Carolina State (3-1) snapped an eight-game losing streak against Clemson to move into the ranking. The Wolfpack was ranked briefly at No. 23 last season.

— No. 24 Wake Forest is 4-0 for the first time since 2019, when the Demon Deacons were ranked for a total of five weeks with a peak of No. 19. That’s the only season Wake has been ranked since 2008.

OUT

Two teams that started the season in the top 10 are now unranked.

— Iowa State started No. 7, its best ranking in school history after finishing ninth in 2020, but now sits at 2-2 and unranked.

— North Carolina was No. 10 to start the season, but fell out after being routed by Georgia Tech to fall to 2-2.

— Wisconsin began the season No. 12 but after losing to Penn State and Notre Dame to fall to 1-2 is unranked.

— Kansas State spent one week in the rankings and dropped out.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Southeastern Conference has four teams in the top 10 and five of 12 in the top 12, including Mississippi at No. 12.

SEC — 7 (Nos. 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 22).

Big Ten — 5 (Nos. 4, 5, 11, 14, 17).

ACC — 3 (Nos. 23, 24, 25).

Big 12 — 3 (Nos. 6, 19, 21).

Pac-12 — 2 (Nos. 3, 20).

American — 1 (No. 7).

Sun Belt — 1 (No. 16).

Mountain West — 1 (No. 18).

Independents — 2 (Nos. 8, 13).

RANKED vs. RANKED

No. 12 Mississippi at No. 1 Alabama. First ranked matchup between the Rebels and Tide since 2017.

No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia. Razorbacks’ resurgence has been one of the stories of the first month of the season.

No. 7 Cincinnati at No. 9 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish obliged the Bearcats, who need Notre Dame to be as good a possible if they have any shot to sneak into the playoff.

No. 21 Baylor at No 19 Oklahoma State. Might be a short stay in the rankings for one of the Big 12 rivals.

The Top 25

1. Alabama 4-0

2. Georgia 4-0

3. Oregon 4-0

4. Penn St. 4-0

5. Iowa 4-0

6. Oklahoma 4-0

7. Cincinnati 3-0

8. Arkansas 4-0

9. Notre Dame 4-0

10. Florida 3-1

11. Ohio St. 3-1

12. Mississippi 3-0

13. BYU 4-0

14. Michigan 4-0

15. Texas A&M 3-1

16. Coastal Carolina 4-0

17. Michigan St. 4-0

18. Fresno St. 4-1

19. Oklahoma St. 4-0

20. UCLA 3-1

21. Baylor 4-0

22. Auburn 3-1

23. NC State 3-1

24. Wake Forest 4-0

25. Clemson 2-2

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The CCL/ESCC Blue has certainly earned a great deal of respect when it comes to the rankings. Loyola, Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and Marist obviously comprise the best overall high school football conference in the state.

Over the years we’ve seen how the CCL/ESCC Blue teams don’t drop much or at all when they lose to each another. That wasn’t the case in Week 5. Undefeated St. Ignatius knocked off Mount Carmel 27-0. That’s a lopsided win that sent reverberations through the rankings. Loyola also struggled to beat Fenwick.

St. Ignatius is obviously in the rankings this week. The Wolfpack has shut three teams out this season and allowed just 24 points in five games. There’s no logical way to rank Mount Carmel ahead of St. Ignatius, so that means Marist has to tumble as well. The Caravan beat the RedHawks 28-16 at Marist.

The rugged CCL/ESCC schedule affords Marist and Mount Carmel plenty of chances to vault back near the top of the rankings. It could happen soon. Marist is at Loyola on Saturday and Mount Carmel hosts Brother Rice on Friday.

The other tough decision this week was who to add in the last spot. Prairie Ridge drops out after getting soundly beaten by rival Cary-Grove.

Three undefeated teams were the contenders for the No. 25 spot: Kankakee, Glenbrook South and South Elgin. I let the opponents’ records decide this one. The Storm’s opponents are 15-10, so it was an easy call. The Kays’ opponents are just 12-13 and Glenbrook South’s are 10-14.

Week 6’s Super 25

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (5-0) 1

Saturday at No. 15 Marist

2. Brother Rice (4-1) 3

Friday at No. 14 Mount Carmel

3. Joliet Catholic (5-0) 4

Friday vs. St. Laurence

4. Neuqua Valley (5-0) 7

Friday at Metea Valley

5. Glenbard West (5-0) 8

Saturday vs. York

6. Naperville Central (3-2) 5

Friday vs. Naperville North

7. Lincoln-Way East (4-1) 9

Friday vs. Sandburg

8. Cary-Grove (5-0) 10

Friday at Huntley

9. Maine South (4-1) 11

Friday vs. Glenbrook South

10. Warren (4-1) 12

Friday vs. Waukegan

11. Batavia (5-0) 13

Friday at Wheaton Warrenville South

12. Wheaton North (4-1) 14

Friday at No. 24 Glenbard North

13. St. Ignatius (5-0) NR

Friday vs. De La Salle

14. Mount Carmel (4-1) 2

Friday vs. No. 2 Brother Rice

15. Marist (4-1) 6

Saturday at No. 1 Loyola

16. St. Rita (3-2) 15

Friday vs. Nazareth

17. Hersey (5-0) 16

Friday vs. Rolling Meadows

18. Lockport (5-0) 18

Friday vs. Lincoln-Way West

19. Bolingbrook (4-1) 17

Friday at Homewood-Flossmoor

20. Oswego East (5-0) 19

Friday vs Minooka

21. Lemont (5-0) 20

Friday vs. Bremen

22. Hinsdale Central (4-1) 21

Friday at Downers Grove South

23. Palatine (3-2) 22

Friday vs. Conant

24. Glenbard North (4-1) 24

Friday vs. No. 12 Wheaton North

25. South Elgin (5-0) NR

Friday vs. Streamwood

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Please send additions or corrections to [email protected].

Thursday, September 30

GREAT LAKES

Comer vs. Ag. Science at Gately

HEARTLAND

Kennedy vs. North Lawndale at Rockne

LAKE STREET

Bowen vs. Butler at Gately

South Shore vs. Fenger at Eckersall

MADISON STREET

Foreman vs. Senn at Lane

MICHIGAN AVENUE

Dyett vs. Chicago Richards at Stagg

STATE STREET

UIC Prep vs. Crane at Lane

Friday, October 1

LAND OF LINCOLN

Taft at Lane

PRAIRIE STATE

Orr at Clark

Payton vs. Raby at Lane

RED BIRD

Hubbard vs. Curie at Rockne

Perspectives vs. Simeon at Gately

SECOND CITY

Washington vs. Vocational at Eckersall

WINDY CITY

Amundsen vs. Von Steuben at Winnemac

CHICAGO AVENUE

Kelly vs. Gage Park at Stagg

LAKE STREET

Longwood vs. Corliss at Gately

MADISON STREET

Pritzker at Chicago Academy

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Brother Rice at Mount Carmel

CCL-ESCC GREEN

Nazareth at St. Rita

Notre Dame at Benet

CCL-ESCC ORANGE

Montini at Providence

St. Laurence at Joliet Catholic

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

Marian Catholic at St. Viator

CCL-ESCC RED

Leo at Marian Central

CCL-ESCC WHITE

De La Salle at St. Ignatius

Marmion at Fenwick

CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTH

Deerfield at Highland Park

Maine East at Niles North

Maine West at Vernon Hills

CENTRAL SUBURBAN SOUTH

Evanston at Niles West

Glenbrook North at New Trier

Glenbrook South at Maine South

DUKANE

Batavia at Wheaton-Warrenville South

St. Charles East at Geneva

St. Charles North at Lake Park

Wheaton North at Glenbard North

DUPAGE VALLEY

Naperville North at Naperville Central

Neuqua Valley at Metea Valley

Waubonsie Valley at DeKalb

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Jacobs

Cary-Grove at Huntley

Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central

Dundee-Crown at McHenry

Hampshire at Prairie Ridge

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Coal City at Manteno

Herscher at Lisle

Reed-Custer at Wilmington

Streator at Peotone

KISHWAUKEE I-8 BLUE

Harvard at Plano

Johnsburg at Sandwich

Marengo at Rochelle

KISHWAUKEE I-8 WHITE

Morris at Kaneland

Woodstock at Ottawa

Woodstock North at LaSalle-Peru

METRO SUBURBAN BLUE

Aurora Central at Bishop McNamara

IC Catholic at Wheaton Academy

Ridgewood at Elmwood Park

METRO SUBURBAN RED

Chicago Christian at St. Edward

St. Francis at Aurora Christian

Westmont at Riverside-Brookfield

MID-SUBURBAN EAST

Elk Grove at Buffalo Grove

Prospect at Wheeling

Rolling Meadows at Hersey

MID-SUBURBAN WEST

Conant at Palatine

Hoffman Estates at Fremd

NORTH SUBURBAN

Lake Forest at Libertyville

Lake Zurich at Mundelein

Waukegan at Warren

Zion-Benton at Stevenson

NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Antioch at Grant

Grayslake North at North Chicago

Round Lake at Grayslake Central

Wauconda at Lakes

SOUTH SUBURBAN BLUE

Bremen at Lemont

Hillcrest at TF North

Oak Forest at TF South

SOUTH SUBURBAN RED

Argo at Reavis

Eisenhower at Richards

Evergreen Park at Shepard

SOUTHLAND

Crete-Monee at Thornridge

Kankakee at Rich

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE EAST

Joliet West at Romeoville

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE WEST

Minooka at Oswego East

Plainfield North at Oswego

West Aurora at Yorkville

SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN BLUE

Bolingbrook at Homewood-Flossmoor

Sandburg at Lincoln-Way East

SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN RED

Bradley-Bourbonnais at Lincoln-Way Central

Stagg at Andrew

UPSTATE EIGHT

Bartlett at Larkin

Elgin at Fenton

Glenbard East at West Chicago

Glenbard South at East Aurora

Streamwood at South Elgin

VERMILION VALLEY NORTH

Dwight at Clifton Central

Momence at Iroquois West

Seneca at Watseka

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Addison Trail at Willowbrook

Hinsdale South at Downers Grove South

Leyden at Proviso East

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Downers Grove North at Hinsdale Central

NONCONFERENCE

Lena-Winslow at DePaul Prep

LeRoy at Ottawa Marquette

Lincoln-Way West at Lockport

Oak Park-River Forest at Morton

Richmond-Burton at Sycamore

Thornton at Peoria Richwoods

Tinley Park at Oak Lawn

Saturday, October 2

BIG SHOULDERS

Brooks at Lindblom

Hyde Park vs. Dunbar at Eckersall

King vs. UP-Bronzeville at Eckersall

GREAT LAKES

Bogan at Goode

Catalyst-Maria vs. Johnson at Stagg

HEARTLAND

Prosser vs. Rauner at Rockne

Speer at Steinmetz

LAND OF LINCOLN

Westinghouse vs. Lincoln Park at Lane

Young vs. Phillips at Gately

PRAIRIE STATE

Bulls Prep at Back of the Yards

RED BIRD

Morgan Park vs. Kenwood at Gately

SECOND CITY

Harlan vs. Carver at Gately

Solorio vs. Julian at Gately

WINDY CITY

Lake View vs. Schurz at Winnemac

Sullivan vs. Mather at Winnemac

CHICAGO AVENUE

Juarez vs. Collins at Rockne

Little Village vs. Tilden at Stagg

MADISON STREET

Marine vs. Roosevelt at Winnemac

MICHIGAN AVENUE

DuSable vs. Chicago Military at Eckersall

Englewood STEM vs. Woodlawn at Stagg

STATE STREET

Clemente at Marshall

Phoenix vs. Rowe-Clark at Lane

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Marist at Loyola

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

Carmel at St. Patrick

INDEPENDENT

Hope Academy at Walther Christian

MID-SUBURBAN WEST

Schaumburg at Barrington

SOUTHLAND

Thornwood at Bloom

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE EAST

Plainfield East at Plainfield Central

Plainfield South at Joliet Central

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Proviso West at Lyons

York at Glenbard West

NONCONFERENCE

Christ the King at Detroit Loyola, Mich.

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A Chicago Fire Department paramedic was grazed by a gunshot while working on a patient at Stroger Hospital, and one person was killed and another wounded Saturday night in a shooting on the Near West Side, authorities said.

The paramedic was working on a patient about 10:35 p.m. in the emergency department at Stroger when witnesses told police a suspect in an older green Buick opened fire, grazing the bill of the paramedic’s baseball cap, Chicago police said.

About 10 minutes earlier, two men, 28 and 31, were outside when they were shot by someone in a vehicle about 10:25 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Warren Boulevard, police said.

The older man was shot in the chest and arm, and was taken to Stroger, where he died, police said.

The younger man was shot in the right heel and taken to Stroger, where he was in good condition, police said.

No one was in custody in either of the attacks.

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At least five people were killed, and a Chicago police officer and a Chicago Fire Department paramedic were 35 wounded in citywide shootings since 5 p.m. Friday.

The 30-year-old officer was on patrol late Friday when she heard the gunfire and rushed to the 1900 block of East 72nd Place, where she saw someone lying in the street, police said.

The officer, who has been with the department for two years, was getting out of her squad car to provie aid when more shots were fired, striking her in the legs, police Supt. David Brown said. She got back in her squad car, and another officer took her to University of Chicago Medical Center, Brown said. She’s since been treated and released.

She was the 12th Chicago police officer to be wounded by gunfire this year, according to Brown. Thirty-four other officers had been shot at during the same period.

The officer was responding to a call of shots fired that left an 18-year-old dead and 15-year-old wounded. About 11 p.m., a 25-year-old man and a woman were returning to their home in the block with a pizza when they were confronted on their back steps by the two teenagers, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said.

The older man exchanged gunfire with the two younger individuals, Deenihan said. The 18-year-old was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at University of Chicago, police said. His name has not been released.

The 15-year-old, shot in the legs, was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Investigators recovered two handguns from the scene and also recovered a rifle while executing a search warrant, Deenihan said.

Two suspects were being questioned Saturday night, according to Deenihan, who said each has a criminal record. He declined to give more details since they haven’t been charged with a crime.

A Chicago Fire Department paramedic was grazed at Stroger Hospital while working on a patient, and one person was killed and another wounded Saturday night in a shooting on the Near West Side.

The paramedic was working on a patient about 10:35 p.m. in the emergency room at Stroger when witnesses told police a suspect in an older green Buick opened fire, grazing the medical responder in the bill of their baseball cap, police said.

About 10 minutes earlier, two men, 28 and 31, were outside when they were shot by someone in a vehicle about 10:25 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Warren Boulevard, police said. The older man was shot in the chest and arm, and was taken to Stroger, where he died, police said. The younger man was shot in the right heel, and was also taken to Stroger, where he was in good condition, police said.

Melica De La Garza, 18, was fatally shot Saturday in West Elsdon on the South Side, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. About 8:30 p.m., she was sitting in a parked vehicle in the 5400 block of South Avers Avenue, when someone approached and fired shots, police said. She was struck in the torso, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, a 31-year-old man was fatally shot in South Deering on the South Side. About 4:20 p.m., he was on the sidewalk in the 10200 block of South Yates Boulevard, when someone in a vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired shots, police said. He was struck multiple times and taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not yet been identified.
A 44-year-old man was fatally shot Friday in the Burnside on the South Side. About 7:45 p.m., he was near the street in the 700 block of East 92nd Place, when he was approached by two males who pulled out guns and fired shots, Chicago police said. He was struck in the abdomen and taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He has not yet been identified.
In nonfatal attacks, six people were shot Sunday morning in East Garfield Park. Just after 2:50 a.m., three men and three women were standing outside in the 800 block of South Albany Avenue when a suspect in a black SUV opened fire, police said.

A 27-year-old woman was shot once in the pelvis, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was in critical condition, police said. A 37-year-old man was shot in his body, and a 38-year-old multiple times in his ankle, police said. Both were taken to Mount Sinai, where their conditions were stabilized, police said. A 28-year-old man was shot in his thigh, and a 33-year-old woman in her shoulder, police said. Both were also taken to Mount Sinai, where they were in fair condition, authorities said. A 30-year-old woman was grazed in the arm, and was taken to Mount Sinai, where she was in good condition, police said.

A woman and a 14-year-old boy were wounded Saturday in a shooting in Washington Park on the South Side. About 7:45 p.m., the 39-year-old woman and the boy were exiting the expressway in the 100 block of East 59th Street, when a dark-colored Audi drove up to them and someone inside fired shots, police said. The woman continued to drive east, but later crashed into a silver Pontiac sedan, police said.

The woman was shot in the abdomen and taken to the University of Chicago in good condition, police said. The boy was struck in the left forearm and taken to Comer, where he was also listed in good condition.

A 16-year-old was wounded in Back of the Yards on the South Side. The teen was riding in the rear seat of a vehicle about 1:15 a.m. in the 4600 block of South Paulina Street when he was shot in the heel, police said. He was taken by the driver to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

A woman was also shot in Back of the Yards less than an hour earlier.

About 12:30 a.m., a woman, 26, was a passenger in a vehicle traveling in the 600 block of West Garfield Boulevard when she was shot in her ankle, police said. She was taken to the University of Chicago, where she was in good condition, police said.

A 17-year-old was among two shot and wounded Sunday morning in Little Village on the West Side. The teen and man, 17 and 29, were leaving a house about 1:40 a.m. in the 2500 block of South Hamlin Avenue when someone inside a gold Suburban opened fire, police said.

The teen was shot once in the lower leg, and was taken to Mount Sinai, where he was listed in good condition, police said. The man was shot once in the higher leg, and was also taken to Mount Sinai, where he was in serious condition, police said.

At least 19 others were wounded in citywide gun violence since 5 p.m. Friday.

Nine people were killed and 52 others — including a 3-year-old — were wounded in shootings in Chicago last weekend.

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